Austin Records 60th Homicide In 2021, Shattering All-Time Record

Austin TX

13 September, 2021

1:06 PM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Austin has set a record of 60 homicides so far in 2021, the most violent year logged in six decades of tracking, according to a report by the Austin-American Statesman. The newspaper reports the city logged its 60th homicide on Sunday, which marks a 25 percent increase in homicides so far in 2021, compared with all of 2020, which logged 48 violent deaths. Interim Chief Joe Chacon told the Statesman he fears the 2021 tally will continue to go up as the city continues to grow and become a city with "big city problems." According to FBI crime data from 2019 — the most recent year available — Austin's violent crime rate of 400 incidents per 100,000 residents ranked 28th among the 30 largest cities. Only El Paso and San Diego had lower violent crime rates. Austin also ranked near the bottom of the list in 2018 and 2017. Austin's spike in homicides is part of a national trend that various criminologists attribute to a rising proliferation of guns and instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated economic disparities, such as poverty and unemployment, that can drive people into crime. Patch has reached out to the department for comment on the increasing homicide rate. When we receive an update, we will update this story. Read the Austin-American Statesman. Live in Austin? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone. RELATED COVERAGE: 35 DWI Arrests Made During Labor Day Weekend: Austin PD 2 Austin ISD Schools Placed On Lockdown, Reports Of Armed Subject Man Shot, Killed In North Austin Gas Station Shooting